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I obtained my BSc (summa cum laude) at the University of the Philippines Diliman, working as an undergraduate thesis student for Dr. Cynthia Hedreyda. I completed my MSc and PhD degrees at the University of Guelph, under the supervision of Dr. Jane Robb and Dr. Ross Nazar. Before joining Laurier, I was an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Energy Plant Research Laboratory and Plant Resilience Institute (Michigan State University) in the laboratory of Dr. Sheng Yang He (Howard Hughes Medical Institute). There, I characterized regulatory mechanisms of plant immune signaling and microbial pathogenesis.
My laboratory is currently investigating how environmental factors (like elevated temperature) influence plant immune responses at the molecular level. The aim of my research program is to create an integrative model of the mechanisms underlying plant-pathogen interactions in a changing environment, in order to better understand and improve plant resilience.
- Donald F. Morgenson Faculty Awards for Teaching Excellence - Early Career Excellence; Full-Time (2025)
- Laurier Merit in Research (2024)
- NSERC Research Tools and Instrumentation (2024-2025)
- Laurier Early Career Researcher Award (2023)
- Editorial Board, Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions (2023-present)
- NSERC Research Tools and Instrumentation (2022-2023)
- OMAFRA Ontario Agri-food Research Initiative (2021-2023)
- Editorial Board, Frontiers in Plant Science (2021-present)
- Laurier Internal Research Grant (2021-2022)
- Laurier Internal Equipment Grant (2021-2022)
- Laurier Merit in Research and Teaching (2020)
- NSERC Discovery Grant (2020-2026)
- NSERC Discovery Launch Supplement (2020-2025)
- John R. Evans Leaders Fund - Canada Foundation for Innovation (2020)
- Ontario Research Fund - Small Infrastructure Fund (2020)
- Laurier Internal Travel Grant (2020-2022)
- NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship (2018-19)
- Assistant Features Editor, The Plant Cell (2018-19)
- Michigan State University (MSU) Postdoctoral Teaching Scholar (2017)
- MSU Leadership Academy (2017)
- Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2013-14, 2007-09)
- NSERC Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (2010-13)
- The Guelph Mercury Top 40 Under 40 Award (2013)
The Castroverde Lab is regularly looking for motivated graduate and undergraduate students to investigate the mechanisms underlying temperature regulation of various plant defence pathways. Students will learn concepts and methodologies in plant biology, molecular biology, microbiology, biochemistry and genetics. Interested candidates are encouraged to submit a curriculum vitae and a one-page statement of research interests.
Plant immune resilience to a changing climate: molecular insights and biotechnological roadmaps.
(2025) Genome. 68:1-13. doi: 10.1139/gen-2024-0088.
Distinct profiles of plant immune resilience revealed by natural variation in warm temperature-modulated disease resistance among Arabidopsis accessions.
Plant Cell Environ. 47(12):5115-5125. doi: 10.1111/pce.15098.
Natural allelic diversity of the calcium signaling regulators in plants.
Mol Cells. 47(9):100104. doi: 10.1016/j.mocell.2024.100104.
The plant disease triangle facing climate change: a molecular perspective.
Trends Plant Sci. 29(8):895-914. doi: 10.1016/j.tplants.2024.03.004.
Structural diversity and stress regulation of the plant immunity-associated CALMODULIN-BINDING PROTEIN 60 (CBP60) family of transcription factors in Solanum lycopersicum (tomato).
Funct Integr Genomics. 23(3):236. doi: 10.1007/s10142-023-01172-3.
CBP60-DB: An AlphaFold-predicted plant kingdom-wide database of the CALMODULIN-BINDING PROTEIN 60 protein family with a novel structural clustering algorithm.
Plant Direct. 7(7):e509. doi: 10.1002/pld3.509.
Molecular regulation of the salicylic acid hormone pathway in plants under changing environmental conditions
Rossi, C.A.M., Marchetta, E.J.R., Kim, J.H. and Castroverde, C.D.M. (2023) Trends in Biochemical Sciences. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibs.2023.05.004
Increasing the resilience of plant immunity to a warming climate.
Kim, J.H., Castroverde, C.D.M.*, Huang, S., Li, C., Hilleary, R., Seroka, A., Sohrabi, R., Medina-Yerena, D., Huot, B., Wang, J., Nomura, K., Marr, S.K., Wildermuth, M.C., Chen, T., MacMicking, J.D., and He, S.Y. Nature. doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-04902-y. *Co-first and co-corresponding author
Salicylic Acid and N-Hydroxypipecolic Acid at the Fulcrum of the Plant Immunity-Growth Equilibrium.
Shields, A., Shivnauth, V. and Castroverde, C.D.M. (2022) Frontiers in Plant Science. 13:841688. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2022.841688
Salicylic acid: A key regulator of redox signalling and plant immunity
Saleem, M., Fariduddin, Q. and Castroverde, C.D.M. (2021) Plant Physiology and Biochemistry. 168:381-397. doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2021.10.011.
Molecular Mechanisms of Nitric Oxide (NO) Signaling and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) Homeostasis during Abiotic Stresses in Plants.
Wani, K.I., Naeem, M., Castroverde, C.D.M., Kalaji, H.M., Albaqami, M. and Aftab, T. (2021) International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(17):9656.
Temperature regulation of plant hormone signaling during stress and development.
Castroverde, C.D.M. and Dina, D. (2021) Journal of Experimental Botany, erab257.
Mechanistic Insights into Strigolactone Biosynthesis, Signaling, and Regulation During Plant Growth and Development.
Wani, K.I., Zehra, A., Choudhary, S., Naeem, M., Khan, M.M.A., Castroverde, C.D.M. and Aftab, T. (2020) Journal of Plant Growth Regulation, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-020-10234-w.
Diversity, Function and Regulation of Cell Surface and Intracellular Immune Receptors in Solanaceae.
Kim, J.H. and Castroverde, C.D.M. (2020) Plants, 9:E434.
For a complete list of publications, please visit my Google Scholar page.
BI236 (Cell Biology; previously Cell and Molecular Biology)
BI369 (Plant Physiology)
BI396X (Molecular Biology of Plant Growth)
BI463 (Environmental Stress Biology of Plants)
BI495 (Directed Studies)
BI691 (Independent Study)
Laurier News Hub:
Laurier honours outstanding educators with 2025 Donald F. Morgenson Awards
Laurier Annual Research Report:
"Bolstering Plant Immunity" - Inspired Research. REAL IMPACT
Laurier News Hub:
Laurier researchers awarded more than $1 million in NSERC Discovery Grants
Laurier News Hub:
Wilfrid Laurier University Library Highlights:
Join us for the Climate Action Week Panel
Wilfrid Laurier University News:
The Olive Oil Times:
Hot Weather Weakens Plant Immune System, Study Finds
The Western Producer:
Heat disables plant defences by turning off gene
The Toronto Star:
Laurier professor working to make plants more heat-resilient amid rising temperatures
The Record:
Laurier professor working to make plants more heat-resilient amid rising temperatures
Wilfrid Laurier University News:
New discovery by Laurier researcher may strengthen resilience of plants in a warming climate
The Independent UK:
Scientists engineer heatwave-resistant plants to help them survive climate change
Atlantico France:
Howard Hughes Medical Institute News:
A Souped-Up Gene Promoter Stops Heat from Sapping Plant Defenses
Duke University News:
Climate change is making plants more vulnerable to disease. New research could help them fight back
Wilfrid Laurier University News:
Laurier researchers awarded $1.7 million in new NSERC Discovery Grants
Wilfrid Laurier University News:
Wilfrid Laurier University Office of Research Services:
Annual Report 2019-2020 Purposeful Partnerships: A Year in Review - "Strengthening Plant Immunity" feature
Wilfrid Laurier University News:
Laurier researchers receive $3.3 million from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
Michigan State University News:
Christian Danve Castroverde joins Wilfrid Laurier University as Assistant Professor
Contact Info:
Office location: BA-436A (Bricker Academic, Waterloo campus)
Office hours: By appointment.
Languages spoken: English, Tagalog, Waray
Lab Website:
castroverdelab.ca